Ore-concentrator.



T. M. GILCHRIST.

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Thomas ma m WW T. M. GILGHRIST.

ORE GONGENTRATOE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

IIIIIA L m N O T 0 m N A W O c m A n n O N A L THOMAS M. GILCHRIST, OFWHITE BIRD, IDAHO.

ORE-CONCENTRATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

Application filed January 31, 1911. Serial No. 605,715.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. GILQHRIST, a citizen of the United States,residing at White Bird, in the county of Idaho and State of Idaho, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Concentrators, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to the subject ,of mining, and the principalobject of the same is to provide a novel concentrator that can bereadily used in connection with sluice boxes or flumes so that thevaluable minerals will be separated from the base ores and conveyed to aclosed receptacle.

With the above generally stated objects of the invention in view, thesame contemplates a novel concentrator that can be used in connectionwith any type of sluice boxes, so that the valuable minerals will beconcentrated and in which a plurality of the concentrators can be usedwith a plurality, or string of boxes, one or more of the boxes beingequipped with a novel chute so that the coarse minerals and black sandcan also be concentrated.

In carrying out the objects of the invention generally stated above itwill be under stood, of course, that the essential features thereof arenecessarily susceptible of changes in details and structuralarrangements, one preferred and practical embodiment of which is shownin the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe improved concentrator. Fig. 2 is a similar view, as it appears fromanother angle. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of oneend of a sluice box adapted for use in connection with the improvedconcentrator. Fig. 4 is a central vertical transverse sectional view ofthe concentrator. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional viewshowing the concentrator used with a sluice box. Fig. 6 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 5 showing a plurality of the concentrators used with astring of sluice boxes, and also showing the use of the discharge chute.Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of one end of aconcentrator from which a discharge chute is suspended. Fig. 8 is afragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view of the concentrator andchute shown in Fig. 7.

The improved concentrator comprises a body that is preferably formed ofmetal having an elongated flat bottom 10 and upstanding longitudinalsides 11, said sides preferably having their longitudinal upper edges 12downturned to prevent the said edges cutting or otherwise damaging theattendant or attendants. Said body is open at the top and both ends, andat its centralportion, the flat bottom 10 is provided with a transverseslot 13 which preferably extends entirely across said bottom. Atransversely arranged receptacle 14 is suspended from the bottom 10beneath slot 13, and its bottom 14 is inclined so that the contents ofthe receptacle will gravitate to the front end thereof. Said front endof the receptacle is provided with an opening 15 that is sealed by atransparent closure 16 to permit the contents of the receptacle to beinspected. A discharge valve 17 projects from the front of thereceptacle and obviously facilitates the removal of the contents of saidreceptacle.

The improved concentrator is interposed between two sluice boxes 18, theadjacent ends of said boxes being placed within the body of theconcentrator with their sides abutting. One of the boxes has the ends ofits sides projecting beyond the forward transverse edge of its bottom,as indicated at 19 to provide an entrance 20 to the slot 13 in theconcentrator. When assembled, the meeting ends of the boxes 18 are toone side of slot 13 and the entrance 20 is over and in alinement withsaid slot, as is clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.The box 18 that conveys the material to the concentrator is equippedwith a false bottom 21 that extends to the forward edge of the slot 13so that the material will have a fall at that point which will cause thewater and base material to jump across said slot, and the valuableminerals to gravitate through the slot and be caught by the receptacle14:.

A discharge chute 22 is provided for the rear end of the concentrator sothat coarse minerals and black sand can be conveyed to an amalgamatingpan or other suitable receptacle. Said chute is preferably rectangularin shape and formed of metal and is of substantially the same width asthe bottom of the concentrator. A flange 23 projects laterally from oneupper edge of the chute 22 and is rested on the rear end of the bottomof the concentrator beneath one of the sluice boxes 18, so that theWeight of said box will retain said chute in position. The dischargechute is of especial value when a plurality of the concentrators areused in connection with a string of boxes as is shown in Fig. 6. In suchuses some of the boxes having their false bottoms 24 tapering inthickness and arranged so that their thicker ends are at the chute andthe slots of the concentrators and will cause the minerals and blacksand to gravitate into said concentrators and chute.

It will be seen from the foregoing that this invention provides simplemeans whereby valuable minerals can be readily concentrated withoutmanual labor, and that the parts of the invention are of such a naturethat they can be quickly and economically produced.

What I claim as my invention is 1. An ore concentrator comprising a bodyprovided with a transverse slot, a receptacle suspended beneath saidbody and adapted to receive material through said slot, a sluice boxfitted in one end of said body, a false bottom therefor arranged to forma drop for the material delivered to body at said slot, and a secondsluice box fitted in the other end of said body, the bottom of said boxbeing in a plane lower than that of the top of said false bottom andabutting the first-mentioned box, one of said boxes being provided withan entrance for said slot.

2. An ore concentrator comprising a trough shaped body provided with acentral transverse slot in its bottom, a receptacle carried by thebottom of said body beneath said slot, sluice boxes in said body, and aninclined false bottom of varying thickness in one of said boxes, thethickest portion thereof terminating adjacent said slot, and in a planeabove the sluice bottom on the other side of the slot, the false bottombeing adapted to provide a drop for the pulp adjacent the slot.

3. An ore concentrator comprising a body provided with a transverseslot, a receptacle suspended beneath said body and adapted to receivematerial through said slot, a sluice box fitted within one end of saidbody, a false bottom therefor, and a second sluice box fitted in theother end of said body and abutting the first mentioned box, the bottomof the second sluice box being in a plane lower than that of the top ofsaid false bottom.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS M. GILCHRIST.

WVitnesses: Y

CARL BENSON, IRA N. GILoHRIsT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

